Tilt back for cameras and the like



1931- D. c. BEIDLER I 1,796,315

TILT BA CK F'OR CAMERAS AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 13 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Iowa/a a ez'cZ/er 627 We .v arty March 17, 1931. b. c. BEIDLER ET L 1,796.315

TI LT BACK FOR CAMERAS AND THE LIKE qriginal Filed May 13, 1927 2 Shayna-Sheet 2 iki? Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IDOIALD C. BEIDLBB AND ANTONIUS J. VIKEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO DONALD C. BEIDLER, TRUSTEE TILT BACK FOR CAMERAS AND THE LIKE Original application filed Kay 18, 1927, Serial No. 191,124. Divided and this application filed March 29,

1928, Serial No. 265,805.

This invention'has to do with certain improvements in tiltbacks for cameras and the like "that is to say it has to do with improve ments in the construction of the rear or finder portions of the cameras vagainst which the images are projected. It is necessary to tilt the rear or image portions of the cameras about a horizontalaxis in order to bring the upper and lower portions of the image field into proper harmonious focus.

More specifically the features of the present invention'have to do with devices ofthe above character as embodied in double cameras, that is, cameras containing two lenses and two separate image surfaces corresponding thereto. Cameras of this nature are used for various purposes. One such use is disclosed and is covered by LettersPatent of the United States-No. 1,528,464, issued to us March 3, 1925, for improvementsin portrait cameras. Another such structure is shown in our copending application for Letters Patent of the United States on improvements in cameras and the like, Serial No. 191,124, filed by us May 13, 1927 of which application this application is a division. In both of the aforesaid issued patent and the copending application there are disclosed constructions involving two camera units placed side by side and mounted on a common base whereonthey are both adjustably supported. One of said cameras constitutes a finder camera and the other constitutes a true camera within which the picture is taken. The finder camera is provided. at its rear end with suitable finder imagesurfaces whereon the image is projected and brought to focus so that the operator can view the image at all times as projected on said surface. The true camera unit of the said combination is of the same focal characteristics as those of the'finder unit; and said true camera is provided in its rear portion with asuitable plate or film holder which is ready for exposure at all times.

In the constructions of the aforesaid patent and copending application the two camera units. above referred to areso coordinated that the object is always brought to focus simultaneously on the image surfaces of both units. For this purpose both of said units are har- Renewed August 2, 1930.

moniously moved at all times not only as respects their focal axes, but also as respects their focal lengths. That is to say they are always moved in harmony in such a manner that whenever the image surface of the finder unit is in focus on a given object with said obect at a given position on the image field the image surface of the true camera is also in focus with said object on the corresponding position of its field. The two camera units are so harmonized in their movements-that if the object is movable and the adjustments of the finder unit are changed from time to time so as to maintain the proper focus and image position on the finder field, the true camera follows in harmony and also remains in focus 011 the same object with the image thereof always in the corresponding position on its field.

Among other things the foregoing harmonizing of movements requires that the focal axes of the two units shall draw towards each other and intersect each other at the position of the object. Accordingly the image finders of the two cameras are somewhat out of parallel and the amount of-the deflection from parallelism depends upon the distance of the objectfrom the camera. As the object approaches the camera the angularity between the axes and therefore between the image fields increases. I

The harmonious movements of the two units already referred to also require at times that the two fields be tilted harmoniously about horizontal axes. The amount of such tilt must be the same in both units; and this is also true irrespective of the angularity between the focal axes and image surfaces.

The present invention relates particularly to means for so interconnecting the tilt backs of the two units that as the tilt back of the finder unit is tilted to bring and maintain the visable image into desired focus, the tilt back of the true camera will move harmoniously and without further thought or care on the part of the operator. Such harmonious movement willalso be produced at all times andirrespective of the angularity between'the focal axes.

Another object ofthe invention relates to the provision of means for retaining both of the tilt backs normallyat the true vertical position, and for producing a desired amount of resistance to the adjustment so as to have assurance that the parts will remain in the adjusted position. Other objects and uses will appear from a detailed description of the invention which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a camera embodying the features of the present invention, the tilt back of the finder unit standing in its vertical or central position;

Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary horizontal section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and it shows the universal joint connection be tween the two operating shafts of the tilt backs for the two units; 7

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows but on" enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary detailed section on the line 4 1 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows but on enlarged scale. The finder unit is designated in its entirety by the numeral 5. It embodies the usual lens 6 together with the tilt back 7 at its rear end. This finder unit also includes a suitable finder hood 8 of convenient construction for observing the image produced on the image surface of the finder. The details of this hood constitute no portion of the present application.

The true camera unit does not appear in Fig. 1 inasmuch as it is behind the finder unit and of similar contour but is not provided with the finder hood.

There is a base member 9 upon which both the finder and true camera units are mounted. On the rear portion of this base member there are pivotally mounted the frames 10 and 11 for the finder and true camera units, said frames being pivoted to the base on the pivotal points 12 and 13 respectively. These frames have the forwardly projecting portions 14 on which the front portions of the camera units are slidably carried. There is also provided means for working the frames 10 and 11 on their pivotal points 12 and 18 so as to maintain their focal axes always in focus on the object. The construction of such operating mechanism constitutes the subject matter of the aforesaid application Serial No. 191,124 of which this is a division. 7

Reaching upwardly from each of the frames 10 and 11 is a pair of bracket arms 15 and 16. The corresponding tilt back is pivoted be tween the upper ends of the arms 15 and 16 of such frame as shown at 17 in Fig. 1. Thus there are established horizontal tilting axes for the tilt backs, and said tilting axes pass substantially through the central portions of their respective tilt backs.

Secured to the lower edge of each side of each tilt .back there is a small rack bar 18 (best shown in F 1), having itslower rack edge formed concentric with the axis of tilt. Journaled in the side plates l5 and 16 of the two frames 10 and 11 are the shafts 19"and 20 are provided with knurled finger pieces 22,

and 23 respectively so that said shafts can be conveniently turned for the adjustment.

The inner or adjacent ends of the shafts are connected together by a universal joint 24. The same includes the sections 25 and 26 on the two shafts 19 and 20 respectively. Said sections are joined together by the union block 27 to which the sections are pin con n-ected by the screws 28. These connections relatively loose in an axial direction by providing the universal joint sections 25 and 26 with slots 29 which are axially elongated. By this means the necessary amount of freedom of movement is established without however allowing any material amount of angular play between the two sections. This axial freedom. of movementalso allows the shafts 19 and 20 to move endwise towards and from each other a sufficient distance to take care of the changing positions of the shafts due to rocking of the frames 10 and 11 on their pivotal points.

By the foregoing means it will be seen that upon turning either one of the shafts both of the tilt backs will be harmoniously rocked on their horizontal axes; and such adjustment will be effected at all times in the proper manner and irrespective of the exact positions of adjustment of the two camera units.

In order toimposea slight amount of resistance to the rotation of the two shafts we have i provided a clip 30 embracing each of said shafts and having a base portion 31 which is secured to the correspondingframe10 or 11 as the case may be. Each of these clips 30 substantially embraces its shaft and may-be ightened up by .a screw 82 sodas to give the desired amount of frictional resistance. This resistance however 1s not enough to interfere with a proper freedom of adjustment from time to time by the operator.

In order to give an indication as to the condition of adjustment of the tilt backs into the true vertical position we have provided a ball 33 in one of the arms (15), which ball may be pressed partially into a socket 34; of

the corresponding rack bar plate 18. Such of the rear frame members or their pivotal result is produced by a leaf spring 35 secured mountings on the platform, substantially as to the arm 15 as best shown in Fig. 3. This described. spring pressed ball will not seriously inter- DONALD C. BEIDLER. 3 fere with the tilting movements but it will ANTONIUS J. VIKEN.

give a click to indicate to the operator the instant when the tilt back stands in the vertical position.

While we have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of our present invention still we do not intend to limit ourselves thereto except as we may do so in the claims.

We claim: 1. In a camera of the type described the combination of a platform, a pair of companion rear frame members pivotally mounted on the rear portion thereof, upstanding brackets on said frame members, camera boxes pivotally mounted on said brackets and capable of tilting movement about horizontal axes, shafts journaled on the frame members aforesaid, rack and pinion connections between said shafts and the lower portions of the camera boxes, a universal joint connection between the inner ends of the two shafts aforesaid, including slip con nections in said universal joint permitting slight axial adjustments while maintaining so the two shafts in angular relation at all times, whereby both of said shafts may be rotated simultaneously to adjust the tilt of both boxes simultaneously, and suitable lens and bellows elements in conjunction with said boxes substantially as described. 1

2. In a camera of the type described the combination of a platform, a pair of companion rear frame members pivotally mounted on the rear portion thereof, slide 4 members slidably mounted with respect to 105 each of said frame members, means for moving the slide members back and forth with respect to the frame members conjointly, camera boxes pivotally mounted with respect to the frame members and adapted to swing 110 about horizontal axes, common means for simultaneously swinging both of the camera boxes conj ointly, and slip connections in said common means permitting such action irrespective of the positions of the rear frame 115 members on their pivotal mountings on the platform, substantially as described.

3. In a camera of the type described the combination of a platform, a pair of companion rear frame members pivotally mounted on the rear portion thereof, means for turning said rear frame members conjointly, camera boxes pivotally mounted with respect to the frame members and adapted to swing about horizontal axes, common means for simultaneously swinging both of the camera boxes conjointly and slip connections in said common means permitting such action irrespective of the positions 130 

